Tracking China's Leadership Transition

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping walks past Chinese President Hu Jintao (front left), former Chinese President Jiang Zemin (front center) and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao (front right) during the opening session of the 18th Communist Party Congress held at the Great Hall of the People on November 8, 2012 in Beijing, China. (Feng Li/Getty Images)

As China begins its once-a-decade handover of power at the upper reaches of the Communist Party, Asia Society offers a range of perspectives on the 2012 transition between outgoing President Hu Jintao and President-to-be Xi Jinping. Scroll through the commentary, reportage, and videos below for insights into this opaque political process.

US Election Day in China Offers a Chance to Participate, Vicariously

Policy In Shanghai, as the American presidential election results roll in, locals participate vicariously.

November 7th by Jeffrey Wasserstrom |

Video: Why We Know So Little About China's Leadership Change and Its Next Leader

Policy As the United States votes for its next president, China, too, is preparing for a leadership change — although much less is known about that process, which begins Thursday with the start of the 18th National Congress.

November 6th by Dan Washburn |

Orville Schell: Beijing on Edge as It Gropes Way Toward New Leadership

Policy With no script and no "big leader" in place for China's next act, both officials and ordinary citizens are in the grip of deep unease about the future.

November 6th by Orville Schell |

Ahead of Film Summit, Here's Everything You Need to Know About China's Movie Industry

Business ChinaFile Managing Editor Jonathan Landreth reports from Los Angeles on the eve of the U.S.-China Film Summit, an annual event now more important than ever.

October 29th by Jonathan Landreth |

Chinese Concerns About Fairness Shake Faith in Government Leadership

Policy Asia 21 Fellow Wenchi Yu says a recent survey shows pervasive concerns among Chinese about the country's leadership and its ability to deal with fundamental human rights.

October 24th by Wenchi Yu |

By Bashing 'China Inc.,' US Presidential Candidates Miss the Point

Policy One of China's best-known bloggers says Romney and Obama miss the point of the China-U.S. relationship by focusing on trade and economics while skipping larger issues of liberty and human rights.

October 23rd by Michael Anti |

Ian Johnson: China's Xi Jinping 'a Cipher'

Policy "He has never made any programmatic statement, he's never come out in favor of anything — and that is why he got where he is," the Pulitzer Prize-winner said at Asia Society in New York.

June 25th by Dan Washburn |

China's Microbloggers Ask: What's the Net Worth of Our Government Officials?

Policy Asia Society Associate Fellow Steven Lewis says state-sponsored Chinese media's coverage of a call for disclosure of finances by government officials could put transparency "on the table" at the National Congress later this year.

May 24th by Alex Ortolani |

Karl Marx and China's Big Chill 2.0

Policy As China embarks on another internet crackdown in the name of maintaining stability, Jeffrey Wasserstrom calls into question the predictive powers of Karl Marx.

April 2nd by Jeffrey Wasserstrom |

Orville Schell: A 'More Even Keel' for US-China Relations?

Policy The Director of Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China Relations and other experts offer insights into what Xi Jinping brings to the U.S-China relationship.

February 24th by Rebecca Chao |